PASADENA, Texas – San Jacinto College (SJC) recently hosted a completers ceremony for students who earned their General Education Development (GED) certificates through the College.

All three San Jacinto College campuses administer the five required GED tests. A total of 450 people earned GED certificates by taking GED tests at San Jacinto College in 2011, and 29 of the GED completers, along with friends and relatives, attended the graduation ceremony held recently at the Central Campus.

At the ceremony, a multi-media presentation featured celebrities who earned GED credentials, including John Travolta, Prince (the musician), and Ringo Starr. Ron Hopkins, GED chief examiner for the College, noted that successful rapper Dwayne Michael Carter (aka Lil Wayne) earned a GED certificate at SJC.

Keynote speaker Dr. H. Neil Matkin, president of the Central Campus, congratulated the students for pursuing their educational goals in spite of obstacles. “We all make plans, but sometimes life can get in the way of our plans,” Matkin commented. “I wanted to attend college after high school, but life got in the way. But, after a stint in the Navy, I made up my mind to get a college education. And while attending college I realized I could control some things, such as whether or not to party or study.”

Matkin learned that obtaining a college education was hard work and required sacrifice, but it was worth the effort. “Education has been a life-changing experience for me, life-changing in a positive way,” he said. “Your choice to obtain a GED certificate shows you are determined to pursue education and succeed even when life gets in the way.”

Many colleges accept the GED exam in lieu of a high school diploma as one requirement for enrollment. All three SJC campuses administer GED tests. For more information about GED testing at the College, contact the testing center on the campus nearest you.

Also, San Jacinto College offers non-credit GED preparation courses at all three campuses through the College’s Continuing and Professional Development division. For more information, please visit cpd.sanjac.edu.

Diamanda Castro, one of the two top GED students at the ceremony, took GED preparation classes through the North Campus’ CPD division. “Not only were the classes a refresher for me, they also helped me in achieving my goal of passing the GED exam,” she remarked. Castro, who lives in Dayton, plans to earn an associate degree in small business management at SJC, and then transfer to the University of Texas.

Hopkins concluded the ceremony with a quote from noted author and playwright Oscar Wilde: “Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.”

About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, industries and maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has been serving the citizens of East Harris County, Texas, for more than 50 years. The Achieving the Dream Leader College is committed to the goals and aspirations of a diverse population of 30,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate options, including university transfer and career preparation. Students also benefit from the College’s job training programs, renowned for meeting the needs of growing industries in the region. San Jacinto College graduates contribute nearly $630 million each year to the Texas workforce. San Jacinto College. Your Goals. Your College.